Police search for weapon after doorstep stabbing

Published on Friday 4 February 2011 16:17

DETECTIVES are today hunting a knife attacker who tried to kill a man as he answered the front door to a friend's house.

The 29-year-old victim, who has not been named, was visiting a friend's house when he answered a knock at the door and was knifed, before the attacker fled the scene.

Police are treating it as attempted murder and today appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

They were yesterday combing the street outside the house in search of a weapon and interviewing neighbours, who today spoke of their shock at the incident.

Detective Sergeant Stuart Alexander said: "We're just conducting forensics to try and recover any weapon that was used.

"The attack's happened very quickly and we're still in the early stage of the investigation."

The attack happened at around 11.15pm on Thursday in Briarbank, in the Ladywell area of Livingston, West Lothian. The victim was rushed to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and remains in a stable condition.

One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said he and his son had heard what they thought might have been the attacker fleeing the scene.

He said: "I thought I heard somebody, I was up in the shower and I thought I heard somebody shouting 'Come on, down this way'.

"The laddie said he thought he heard a slate coming off the roof so we wondered if he'd thrown something, like a knife, on the roof."

He said the woman who lived in the house where the attack took place had recently moved in.

His wife said: "We've seen about four different men there, but she seemed quite nice. When I went to my work a couple of weeks ago she was coming out to put money in the meter and she said hello."

Another neighbour said: "We were all settling down last night and we got a chap at the door about midnight from the police. They said there was an incident, have you seen or heard anything? We never, but it was a complete shock to us. I knew the lady that lived there before, but she'd not long moved out.

"There were scene of crime officers out this morning and I think it's the CID that's been out. It's not really a troubled sort of neighbourhood, it's normally full of kids. We're completely shocked."

Police today said they were particularly keen to speak to a man who was seen in the area shortly before the attack.

He is described as white, 18 to 22 years old, 5ft 8ins to 5ft 10ins tall, and of medium build. He was unshaven with short dark hair, and was wearing a cream or fawn-coloured jacket.

DS Alexander added: "The search inside was completed earlier and there are a couple more forensic issues to be covered inside, we're now searching in the immediate vicinity.

"The victim is from the West Lothian area. He's still in hospital and in a stable condition."

Anyone who recognises the description of the man, or has any other information should contact Lothian and Borders police on 0131-311 3131, or Crime- stoppers on 0800-555 111.